


A World At War

by avatar_dragon_rider



Series: All The World Is Lost [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Gen, I really like the idea, Major Character Injury, crossposting the better-written Wattpad fics, even though i've reworked almost the entire plotline, for later chapters, i wonder if i'll ever finish this one..., if i get that far that is, is that a thing?, oh the joys of Kataangst, who cares it is now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 14:10:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9494966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avatar_dragon_rider/pseuds/avatar_dragon_rider
Summary: "My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days. A time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the four nations: Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 100 years ago, Firelord Sozin used the power of a comet and exterminated the Air Nomads. All, that is, but one. Avatar Aang is the last Airbender, the only hope this world has of finding peace, and he is now fighting for his life. The current princess of the Fire Nation, Azula, shot him with lightning when he was in the Avatar State, and killed him. I used spirit water to save him, and now he is in a coma. I and our friends, along with the rest of the world, are eagerly awaiting his return, all of us believing that things will turn out right in the end, and that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world."





	1. The Crossroads of Destiny

**Author's Note:**

> Someone gave me this idea YEARS ago and this fic happened. Basically, it is my answer to the question of what would have happened if Aang had never woken up from his coma? This is going to get VERY graphic in later chapters. Lots of blood. Lots of angst. Loads and loads of tears. You've been warned.
> 
> It will eventually have a sequel titled "A World In Ruin" if I ever get that far

**[starts after the Dai Li show themselves in the catacombs]**

Katara lifted her head and looked around. The Dai Li were everywhere along the walls of the catacombs, jumping down to land in formation around her. Katara shakily got to her feet and called the water to her aid, forming octopus arms all around her and daring the agents to challenge her.

Aang was in a similar situation, only instead of the Dai Li surrounding him, they were arranged in perfect formation behind the prince and princess of the Fire Nation. Zuko looked ready to kill someone (which he most likely was), and Azula had a small but smug smile on her face, like she knew the Avatar had no way out of this predicament. Both were in a bending stance, waiting to attack.

Aang got to his feet and fell into his bending stance, only to realize what Azula already knew: they were hopelessly outnumbered. Aang looked over at where Katara was waving her octopus arms around, daring the uninterested Dai Li agents to challenge her.

 _There's too many,_ Aang thought dejectedly, then he remembered something that Guru Pathik had said to him when he was opening his last chakra: _"The only way is to let her go."_

Aang knew now what he had to do. As much as he hated it, he had to access the Avatar State, or both he and Katara would be captured, killed, or even both. "I'm sorry Katara," Aang said softly, not knowing that these three words would be the last he ever spoke for a long time.

Aang pulled some of the light teal crystals around him with bending to make a protective and private dome, then sat in the center in his meditating position. As he meditated, he found himself back on that thin bridge of purple light in outer space, the Earth below him and the giant vision of himself in the Avatar State in front of him. Aang closed his eyes as he felt the Avatar State triggered inside him, control along with it.

Outside the dome, no one knew what was happening. As Aang's tattoos glowed with Raava's spirit energy, the dome glowed too. Everyone, even Zuko, took a step back. Katara turned her head to the glowing dome and couldn't help but feel a sense of hope flood through her. Maybe they would get out of this alive.

No one noticed the Fire Nation princess making her way around behind the dome, to where Aang's back faced.

After a few anxious seconds, the top of the dome burst open, like a volcano blowing its top, and a beam of white light shot out of it. The gust of wind that came out threatened to knock everyone off their feet. It took all that the people had not to fall over.

Katara could only watch in awe and pride as Aang rose out of his crystal dome, his eyes and tattoos aglow with the power that Raava gave him. Katara smiled despite the situation around her. _He did it,_ she thought as Aang stopped rising and hovered several dozen feet in the air, looking down at Zuko, Katara, and the Dai Li below him. She couldn't help but shed a tear of happiness at the sight.

_BOOM_

Katara was temporarily blinded and deafened by the bolt of lightning that Azula had shot at Aang's back, perfectly centered below the Avatar's shoulder blades. Katara could only watch in horror as the bolt that connected Aang's back with Azula's fingertips finally faded away, and Aang began to fall towards the ground below.

This simple movement snapped Katara out of her shock. Her tears of joy had turned to tears of pain, but she payed no attention to them as she created a wave using the water around her and rode on top of it to the falling body of the Avatar. She managed to catch him before he hit the ground, nearly drowning Zuko and the Dai Li in the process.

When the water finally receded, it revealed Katara kneeling on the ground, Aang's body in her arms. The tears continued in streams down her face as she looked at Aang's broken, burned, once lively form, now lifeless in her arms. She looked up as Zuko and Azula began to step towards the pair, no doubt going to end the fight once and for all.

But they didn't. The royal siblings were stopped in their tracks as a wall of fire erupted between them and Katara. To Katara's surprise and relief, General Iroh jumped down from the rocky wall and landed where his fire wall had been, ready to fight to defend the Avatar. "You've got to get out of here!" he yelled to Katara over his shoulder. "I'll hold them off as long as I can!" With that, he began Firebending like crazy to keep the Dai Li's focus on him and not Katara.

Grateful, Katara watched Iroh as she stood up, pulling Aang's arm around her shoulders and putting her arm around his chest to keep him upright; there was no way she was strong enough to carry him. She stepped into the water, heading towards the waterfall that would surely lead them up and out. Every once in a while, Katara would glance over her shoulder at the heroic Iroh, taking multiple hits to his body as he bravely fought for Katara's life and Aang's safety. Katara made sure to remind herself that if she ever saw him again, she would give him the thanks he deserved.

Katara had to use one arm, since the other was supporting Aang, but she managed to create a small tunnel of water that shot them upwards, following the waterfall to the outside and freedom.

<><><><>

Sokka was waiting by Appa outside the Earth Kingdom palace, Toph, Earth King Kuei and Bosco all beside him. Momo was curled up on Appa's head. Sokka kept glancing nervously up at the sky; the sun had set a while ago, and Aang and Katara had yet to show up. Sokka was just about to go down there and get those two noodleheads himself when the ground began to rumble beneath his feet.

"They're coming!" Toph exclaimed excitedly. She made another hole in the ground just in time for Katara to shoot out of it. Toph closed the hole in the ground as Katara dropped the water and landed on the wet ground, stumbling slightly because of Aang's weight on her left side.

Sokka's smile vanished when he saw his sister and he rushed to her side. "Katara! What happened? Are you okay?" His stomach dropped when he saw Aang. The Avatar's eyes were closed, and he was deathly pale. "Aang...What happened down there!"

Katara tried to speak through the lump in her throat, her eyes never leaving Aang. "It...she...he...it was Azula...she...hit...the lightning...it hit...Sokka she shot him! Azula shot Aang!" Katara's voice was bordering on hysterical.

"Oh no," Sokka said in shock. He took Aang from Katara and brought him over to lay on Appa's large paw, his sister following close behind. King Kuei looked down at Aang's lifeless and pale body and looked away immediately, turning his attention to Bosco instead. The bear made a pitiful sound in the back of his throat and dropped his head on his paws.

"H-He was in the Avatar State," Katara said as she, Sokka and Toph all sat around Aang. Momo flew down and landed softly on Aang's chest. The lemur's ears flattened and he chittered sadly as he curled up on Aang's cold and still chest. Appa grumbled sadly and closed his eyes.

"So that means..." Sokka remembered something Aang had told them about how if he died in the Avatar State, then the cycle would end. Sokka refused to believe that it had actually happened. "But, no, no that can't happen! It couldn't have happened! Toph, can you...?"

Sokka's question died in his throat when he saw Toph's expression. The Earthbender's misty gray eyes were flooded with tears, some even starting to spill down her cheeks. She had Aang's hand clenched tightly in hers, and her face showed that she was fighting emotion and losing the battle. Toph leaned down and kissed Aang's cheek, and Sokka knew then that she couldn't feel Aang's heartbeat.

She couldn't, because it wasn't there.

Katara dropped her head into one hand, trying to hide her hysterics over Aang's death. Her other hand clenched Aang's tightly, so Aang had one hand being held by Toph and the other by Katara. The hand that hid Katara's face slowly fell down to her chest, where she clutched at her broken heart.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open. "The water!" she exclaimed, making everyone else jump.

"What?" Toph asked, confused.

Sokka's eyes widened. "You mean the spirit water?"

"Pakku did say it had special properties," Katara said as she took it out from under her shirt. "It just might work to bring Aang back."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sokka asked.

"Yes." Katara's tone implied she was not going to argue the matter. Sokka sighed and helped the Earth King and Bosco onto Appa's bare back. Katara picked up Aang and, with Toph's help, got up to Appa's head. Toph then jumped onto Appa's back with Sokka, King Kuei and Bosco. Once everyone was on, Appa took off.

Katara, who had been hugging Aang to her chest during the takeoff, slowly laid him back against Appa's hunched shoulders. Fighting tears, she pulled the pendant with the magical spirit water out of her shirt and over her head. She pulled out the stopper and the water flew out into her hand, where it hovered as it spun in a circle, creating what looked like a small glowing doughnut.

Katara pulled Aang close to her, folding him over her arm. Sokka watched as Katara guided the water to the ugly scar in the center of Aang's back. It glowed, covering the whole of the scar before absorbing into Aang's skin. Katara's eyes grew hopeful when the glow brightened, but when nothing happened after the water disappeared, she dropped her head onto Aang's back with a sob.

Suddenly, something glowed against Katara's closed eyelids and a soft groan could be heard coming from Aang. Katara gasped and held Aang out in front of her, her expression one of joy, hope, surprise and shock.

Aang looked up at Katara with half-lidded eyes, and gave her a weak smile. Katara smiled back at him, her eyes shining with tears as she pulled him into a gentle hug. His eyes closed as she did this, and she felt his body go limp in her arms as he fell into an unconscious state.

Katara sat back against Appa with Aang leaning against her. King Kuei looked back at Ba Sing Se as they approached the Inner Wall. "The Earth Kingdom," he said dejectedly, "has fallen."

 _It's not alone,_ Katara thought as she looked at Aang.


	2. Chameleon Bay

"Katara?" came Sokka's voice from Appa's back. Katara was still up front with Aang's unconscious body, dark circles under her eyes. She hadn't slept a wink since the night before, and the sun was just beginning to rise over the Earth Kingdom plains; they'd long since left the once-great city of Ba Sing Se behind them.

"If you're going to ask me to sleep, you can save your breath," was Katara's snappy reply. She had refused to sleep and let anyone else watch over Aang. She didn't know why, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it was her fault this happened to him.

"Katara, you need to sleep," Sokka insisted. "Aang will be fine. You need to worry about yourself too, you know. You're important too."

"The world can survive without me in it," Katara said, her eyes falling to Aang. "He's far more important."

Sokka sighed in defeat, knowing he wasn't getting anywhere with his stubborn sister by keeping the argument going.

"So where are we going now?" Katara asked, clearly trying to change the subject. "We don't have King Kuei's forces, and we can't stay in the Earth Kingdom capital anymore with the Fire Nation controlling it."

"We could always go see Dad," Sokka offered. "I know the route to Chameleon Bay. They were getting ready to stinkbomb some Fire Nation ships when Aang came to get me, but I think I can find them."

Katara's eyes lit up at the prospect of seeing her father again. "Okay. I think that's the safest place for us right now."

"Here, I'll take the reins." Sokka slid down Appa's shoulders and grabbed the reins, adjusting Appa's course. Once he was certain they were on the right track, he looked over at Aang. Sokka hadn't seen the Avatar's face since Katara had healed him, and now, he wasn't sure what to feel about this face that had once been so happy, but now was silent and still. Aang's eyes were closed, and his expression was calm. He breathed deeply, almost as if he was just sleeping and not unconscious. He had regained color to his face, but was still paler than usual.

"He's gonna be okay," Katara said, following her brother's gaze. She sounded unsure, like she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince him. Sokka only nodded in response, knowing that this was a sensitive thing to discuss with Katara right now.

Appa grumbled beneath them as Chameleon Bay came into view on the horizon. By now, the others had woken up and were watching the ground closely (or staring blankly at Appa's back, in Toph's case). Sokka's face lit up in a smile when he saw the Water Tribe ships docked on the beach. "There they are!" he exclaimed, pointing to the various tents that were set up on the beach.

"Dad..." Katara said with a smile on her face. Sokka breathed a quiet sigh of relief seeing his sister smile like that after such a terrible tragedy. It lifted his heart and gave him hope that things would be alright again.

When Appa landed, Katara slid down to her feet and looked around. Hakoda had seen Appa land and had already started making his way towards the bison. He smiled when he saw Katara, who ran to him and wrapped him in a tight hug, tears falling silently as he hugged her back.

"You're here," Katara managed to choke out through the tears.

"It's okay, Katara," Hakoda said as he rubbed Katara's back. "You're safe now."

"Katara?" came Sokka's voice from Appa's back. Katara turned around and looked up at where her brother was sitting with Aang. "Can you help me get him down?"

Katara nodded as she walked over. Toph—who had walked down Appa's tail with the Earth King and Bosco—raised the ground underneath Katara, creating a platform that stood about as tall as Hakoda. Sokka gently lowered Aang into Katara's arms, and Toph lowered the platform back down to the ground.

Hakoda's eyes widened when he saw Aang's limp body in Katara's arms. "What happened to him?" he asked in shock.

"He was shot with lighting," Katara said, her eyes never leaving Aang's still face. "That bitch who dares to call herself a princess did it."

Hakoda's eyes widened slightly at the rude language his daughter used, but he said nothing about it. Judging by how Katara looked at Aang and her obvious reactions to his injuries, the girl must have had feelings for the boy that meant more than "just friends". Hakoda wondered if the Avatar knew or felt the same towards her. Maybe both.

"Is there a spare tent I can set up in?" Katara asked. "I need a private tent for me and Aang to stay in so I can heal him."

Hakoda nodded and motioned for her to follow him. He led her to an empty tent that was just big enough for two people. Katara laid Aang down onto the bedmat in the center then shooed her father out of the tent.

Sokka walked up to his bewildered father, standing in front of Katara's tent. "Don't take it personally, Dad," Sokka said. "She's been through a lot in the past couple days."

Hakoda simply nodded, not saying anything.

Sokka decided to change the subject. "So, how did the stink-bombing expedition go?"

Hakoda turned to his son and smiled. He put his arm around him so his hand landed on Sokka's shoulder and led him away. "Well, it was quite entertaining..."


	3. Plans

"So what now?" Sokka asked, bent over a map that was sprawled out on the table. His palms were pressed down on the edges of the map, holding the old piece of parchment flat. "We need to figure out our next move."

"We could start making our way to the Fire Nation," Hakoda offered, standing with his arms crossed to Sokka's right. "The eclipse is in six weeks. That gives us plenty of time to find all your allies, Sokka."

"What about Aang?" Katara interjected from where she was standing by the wall of the tent, a sour look on her face. "He's in no condition to travel."

Sokka sighed. "We know, Katara. But we may not have a choice."

Katara scoffed in response. About a week had passed since that awful night in Ba Sing Se. Katara spent most, if not all of her time in her tent, healing Aang with as much water as she could spare. With Aang's help, she regulated a healing schedule. Katara paid close attention to the Avatar's unconscious behavior, how he would move uncomfortably whenever he was in pain, trying to wake up but too weak to do so. Every few hours or so, Katara would notice him moving slightly and bring her water buckets over to heal him.

Toph's schedule was nothing out of the ordinary. Every morning she woke up, fixed her hair so she looked somewhat presentable (or what she assumed was presentable), picked her toes, picked her nose, picked her toes a second time, then went out to practice her Earthbending. Occasionally, Toph would drop in on Katara and ask how Aang was doing. The girls didn't exchange more than a few words of greeting along with Katara filling Toph in on Aang's nonchanging condition. Then Toph would leave Katara in peace and go about her equally uneventful day.

Sokka's mornings were a little more exciting than the girls' were. Since he had decided to help the Earth King with teaching Bosco to be a real bear, things had been lightening up a bit around the Water Tribe camp. The men got a real kick out of watching Sokka trying to teach a bear how to...well, be a bear. It was just so Sokka-like, how everything he would try blew up in his face. Nothing had changed since he was small.

And he was still just as smart as back then. Sokka made eye contact with his sister, taking note of how red her eyes were; she must not have slept much in the past week. "Look sis, I know these past few days have been hard on you, but we need to think about the big picture here, not just Aang."

"Aang is the big picture here!" Katara shot back. "Without him, the world will fall just like Ba Sing Se did. We can't afford to lose him again. If we do, there will be no one to make things right again."

"She's right, Hakoda," Bato chimed in from the other side of the table. He leaned over the map, his hands moving over the map as he spoke. "The Fire Navy has spread deep into Earth Kingdom waters. They've surrounded the capital city with no way in or out. Now, the only ways to the Fire Nation from here would be south along the Si Wong desert, or north through the Serpent's Pass. The southern route will surely take far too long, and the Serpent's Pass is most likely guarded heavily by the Fire Nation."

"What are you saying, Bato?" Hakoda asked.

"I'm saying that Katara has a point," Bato continued. "If we go north, we could be caught and captured, or even killed on sight. Going south would deplete our time faster than you in a barrel of stewed sea prunes."

That got even Katara laughing.

"Then what do we do?" Sokka asked. "We can't stay here. They'll find us."

"We need to think about what's best for Aang," Katara said. "When he wakes up--"

"If he wakes up," Sokka muttered, just loud enough for Katara to hear.

 _"When_ he wakes up," Katara corrected with narrowed eyes, "we'll need to make sure we have enough supplies for him to recover. We'll need to stay hidden until then. No one, not even the Fire Nation can know he's alive."

Bato nodded. "I agree. If the Fire Nation believes the Avatar is dead, we won't have to worry about them coming after us and hunting us. We'll be safe."

"That doesn't give us much to go on," Hakoda said.

"Actually, it does." Sokka's face lit up in a smile. "Katara, that's brilliant!"

"It is?" Katara raised an eyebrow.

"What are you saying, Sokka?" Hakoda asked. "Are you suggesting we stay here and hide until Aang wakes up?"

"No no, of course not." Sokka looked at everyone in turn. "I'm saying that we stick to the obscure routes, we lay low, we keep the knowledge of Aang's survival between us. That way, by the time we make it to the day of the invasion, they'll have no idea the Avatar is coming to kick their butts!"

Hakoda smiled at his son. "Well done, Sokka. Bato, tell the men to pack their bags. We set sail for Serpent River at first light."

"Yes sir," Bato said before leaving the tent.

"I'll go get Aang ready," Katara said, leaving before anyone could say a word against her.

Sokka sighed and looked up at his father. "She's too invested in him. When he doesn't wake up, she'll be crushed beyond all repair. She loves him, more than she cares to admit."

Hakoda sighed. "Then we'll just have to make sure he wakes up. We won't survive this war without him."


End file.
